Changes in daily life experience associated with clinical improvement in depression

Changes in depressed outpatients' experience of daily activities after 6 weeks of antidepressant treatment were assessed with the experience sampling method (ESM). On the sickness impact profile, treatment responders (HAM-D < or = 7, n = 12) improved more than nonresponders (n = 9) in the domains of household chores, leisure and social activities. On ESM measures completed 10 x each day for 6 days pre- and posttreatment, responders showed greater increases in time spent in chores and greater decreases in passive leisure time than nonresponders. Responders showed greater increases in positive affect and greater decreases in negative affect during all activities. Thus, ESM provides quantitative evidence of changes in real life time use and subjective experience accompanying clinical improvement.